Olympic gold medalist Imane Khelif must take new sex test mandated by World Boxing before competing again
Olympic gold-medalist Algerian Imane Khelif will be banned from all World Boxing competitions until the boxer undergoes newly mandated genetic sex testing, World Boxing said. The organization announced Friday that it will introduce mandatory sex testing to determine the eligibility of male and female boxers who want to take part in their competitions.
World Boxing said Khelif would be subject to sex testing after concerns arose from the boxer's potential participation in the upcoming Eindhoven Box Cup in June. The organization said it contacted the Algerian Boxing Federation to let it know Khelif will not be allowed to participate in the female category at any World Boxing event until undergoing sex testing.
"Imane Khelif may not participate in the female category at the Eindhoven Box Cup, 5-10 June 2025 and any World Boxing event until Imane Khelif undergoes genetic sex screening in accordance with World Boxing's rules and testing procedures," a letter from World Boxing to the Algerian Boxing Federation states.
The decision to mandate testing came in part due to the controversy surrounding Khelif after the boxer won a gold medal at the Paris Olympics.
Algeria's Imane Khelif reacts after beating China's Yang Liu in the women's 66kg final boxing match during the Olympic Games at Roland-Garros Stadium, in Paris on Aug. 9, 2024.
MOHD RASFAN/AFP via Getty Images
Khelif came under intense scrutiny over misconceptions about gender, fueled by claims from the International Boxing Association, which has been permanently banned from the Olympics, that both Khelif and another boxer failed unspecified eligibility tests for the women's competition at last year's world championships.
Khelif boxed for years on the international stage without any gender issues or questions until the year before the Olympics, when they were disqualified from the IBA's world championships.
World Boxing said athletes need to take a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) genetic test to determine their sex at birth and their eligibility to compete, the organization said. The test, which can be conducted by nasal/mouth swab, saliva or blood, reveals the presence of the Y chromosome. The results will determine the biological sex.
Studies have shown the PCR test to determine sex is highly accurate. A 2023 study published in Genes found sex assessment achieved an accuracy of 72% on non-adults and 97% on adults.
"World Boxing respects the dignity of all individuals and its overriding priority is to ensure safety and competitive fairness to all athletes," the organization said in the statement.
CBS News reached out to the Algerian Boxing Federation for comment.
Mandatory testing procedures will begin July 1, 2025.
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